President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to the Holy See, Callista Gingrich, has a hearing in the Senate foreign relations committee Tuesday morning.
Gingrich is the wife of former House speaker — and ardent Trump supporter — Newt Gingrich.
If her nomination is approved by the committee, it will go to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
Gingrich is a devout Catholic, attending mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington. where she has sung in the choir for two decades. She told the Christian Broadcasting Network in a 2011 interview that she has “always been a very spiritual person.”
She worked as a clerk on the House agriculture committee, and she played a role on her husband’s 2012 campaign for President — being described by the campaign at the time as the “chief morale officer.”
She introduced her husband at the 2016 Republican National Convention, and during her remarks congratulated Trump on receiving “more primary votes than any Republican in American history, as he assured us that we can make America great again for all Americans.”
She is the president of a “multimedia production company” and consulting company called Gingrich Productions. The company’s website promotes Newt Gingrich’s op-eds and TV appearances as well as the couple’s books.
Gingrich is also the author of the children’s book series “Ellis the Elephant,” in which, an elephant protagonist “learns about the pivotal moments that have shaped our nation.” She has also recorded audio books for a number of texts written by her husband.
Newt Gingrich’s latest book — “Understanding Trump” — was released last month with a foreword written by Eric Trump.
Callista and Newt Gingrich have also hosted and produced documentary films on American history, politics and religion.
In January, when his wife was being considered for the nomination, Newt Gingrich told CNN the couple would keep their home in McLean, Virginia, if his wife became the ambassador.
“I’d clock in an amazing number of miles,” he said. “You guys won’t be getting rid of me. I’ll be around.”